Friction plug container and pouring spout assembly



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FRICTION PLUG CONTAINER AND POURING SPOUT ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l in JiZ/ z; 2/ 2a i v ZZZ] JNVENTOR.

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JTTOE/VEYJ June 29, 1954 G. w. WHGERT 2,68,6

FRICTION PLUG CONTAINER AND POURING SPOUT ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

qw/Q E 14/. l V/GfeT 1M aw awn A QW Patented June 29, 1954 FRICTION PLUG CONTAINER AND PO-URING SPOUT ASSEMBLY George W. Wigert, Union, N. J assign r to American Can Company, New York, N.

ration of New Jersey Application December 21, 1950, Serial No. 202,063

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to pouring spouts for containers, and has particular reference to a pouring spout which is attachable and detachable and is retained in place by a snap-fit engagement with the projecting end seam of a standard friction plug container without interference with the friction plug.

One very popular and useful type of container now on the market is the friction plug container wherein the friction ring which forms the top end of the container is attached to the body in an upstanding or projecting end seam. Often this type of container is filled with liquid contents, such as syrups, paints, varnishes, oils, etc. which are dispensed by pouring directly from the container. during pouring is hampered by the fact that the surface contour of the upper end of the container, i. e., the friction ring and end seam, is angular and tends to make the stream rather turbulent and difficult to direct. In addition, the friction ring is usually countersunk and is formed with a wall which extends upwardly and inwardly from the base of the countersink wall to create an annular groove or recess in the ring that entraps and retains some of the contents when the container is righted after pouring and sooner or later becomes smeared or filled with the product unless it is constantly cleaned. In order to eliminate these undesirable conditions, the present invention provides a pouring spout which bridges these irregularities and may be used with a standard friction plug container without necessitating any alterations to its construction.

An object of the invention is the provision of a pouring spout which may be attached to the container before filling and remain thereon for the full life of the container without interfering with the normal handling of the container incident to packing, shipment, storage and ultimate use.

Another object is the provision of a small, simple and inexpensive pouring spout which may be securely but removably attached to a con-- A smooth controlled flow of the liquid a corpoconsumer inadvertently allow them to flow off the spout and onto the friction ring.

A further object is to provide a spout which may remain in place on a friction plug container without interfering with the seating or reseating of the friction plug closure but which may easily be detached from the emptied container and reused on another container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a friction plug container with the closure plug removed, showing the pouring spout in position on the friction ring;

, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along a vertical plane indicated by the lines 2--2 in Fig. 1, the view also showing the friction plug in place on the container in seated position, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along a vertical plane indicated by the lines 3--3 in Fig. l; the pouring spout in this figure being provided with a sharp, nondrip, pouring lip, parts being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the snap-on spout of the instant invention when detached from the container, parts being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially along a vertical plane indicated by the lines 6--B in Fig. 5, with parts broken away;

Fig. I is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing a side elevation of the pouring spout of Fig. 5 in position on a container;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken substantially along a vertical plane indicated by the lines 88 in Fig. 5, but showing the pouring spout as it appears while it is being snapped into position, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the pouring spout of Fig. 5 when detached from the container.

The preferred and exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figures 1 through 4: and is adapted for use with a cylindrical friction plug container which comprises a body II, a bottom end closure member l2, and a friction ring I3 which is secured to the upper end of the body in a projecting end seam l4, preferably of the double seam type.

The friction ring l3 (see Fig. 2) includes a counter-sink wall l5 which extends from the end seam 14 into the body II and along the inner surface of the body wall. The ring also in cludes a narrow horizontal wall section I8 which merges into an upwardly inclined or conical wall section I! which in turn merges or curves into a downwardly directed vertical cylindrical friction wall Is.

The cylindrical friction wall :8 serves as a seat for a dish shaped friction plug closure 26 which is formed with a complementary cylindrical friction wall 2;! and a horizontal flange 22, the outer edge of which is bent under the flange in a hem or cur123.

It will be seen from 2 that the cross-sectional contour of the upper end of the container i irregular or uneven and is not conducive to smooth and controlled pouring of the container contents. Moreover, the walls i5, i5 and H of the friction ring i3 set off an annular groove, channel or recess which, when the container is used without a pouring spout, usually entraps some of the contents when the container is righted after pouring.

In order to facilitate easy dispensing of the contents of the container, the present invention provides a detachable spout 38 which is adapted to snap onto and grip the container end seam It. The spout 36 is arcuate in peripheral shape, preferably having a length of about 90 of arc and is formed with a smooth, gently inwardly and downwardly inclined or conical top pouring Wall 5 29, the ends of which are extended and bent downwardly to form side walls 32. Each side wall 32 is shaped so that its free edges have an outline which is complementary to the contour of the friction ring groove 29.

The spout 32 also is provided with a resilient, substantially vertical front or outer wall 33, which, at its upper edge merges with the top wall 3! and at its bottom edge terminates in an inwardl rolled curl or projection 34.

In order to attach the spout to the container, it is positioned over the top seam l4 and pressed downwardly so that the side walls 32 enter the groove IS. The dimensions of the spout are such that the gap between each side wall 32 and the curl Si l is less than the thickness of the double seam i i. The inherent resilience of the material of the front wall 313 permits it to flex outwardly, however, thereby enabling the curl 34 to pass around and finally snap into seated position under the seam id at the same time that the free edges of the side walls 32 contact the surface of the groove it. The spout, when once seated on the container, is maintained in place against accidental dislodgement by the co-operative gripping action of the curl 3 2, which engages beneath the end seam M, the side walls 32, which engage behind the end seam and the front wall 33 which preferably engages the outer surface of the end seam It may, however, be conveniently removed by the application of upward pressure against the curl 34 to snap it over the end seam I4.

When the spout is positioned on the container the front wall 33 lies closely against the end seam it (see Figs. 2 and 3) so that the spout does not project outwardly from the container, While the side walls 32 are disposed radially of the container. The inner portion of its top wall 3i contacts the curved surface of the friction ring l3 adjacent the top of the friction seating Wall [8 (see Fig. 2) to direct the contents of the container onto the spout. This inner portion of the Wall 3| preferably is curved downwardly as at 35 in order to increase its area of contact with the friction ring I3 and thus prevent seepage of the container contents under the spout and into the groove !9 during pouring.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it can be seen that the free edges of the side walls 32 come into abutting contact with the surface of the groove 19 for substantially their whole lengths. As a result, the side walls 3-2, in addition to their function of gripping the end seam 14, also act as dams or barriers which prevent the contents of the container from flowing beneath the spout in the event that the consumer inadvertently allows them to run over the side of the spout during pouring These side walls 32 similarly function to keep dust or other undesirable foreign matter from lodging beneath the spout.

If desired, the pouring edge of the spout may be formed with a sharp corner 36 (Fig. 3) to provide a non-drip pouring feature which is desirable f or many fluids.

It can be readily seen that spouts constructed according to the showings of Figs. 1 to 4 do not project substantially beyond the outline of the container and consequently may be maintained in place thereon Without interfering with the normal handling of the container and without danger of being accidentally dislodged. A seen in Fig. 2, the spout does not obstruct the proper seating of the friction plug closure 29, which may readily be inserted to its normal closed position with its flange 22 level with or slightly below the top of the end seam 4.

In the modified form of the invention, as disclosed in Figs. 5 to 9, the top pouring wall 3| which bridges the friction ring I7 is provided with an outward extension 40 which projects outwardly slightly beyond the container end seam 4. The side edges of the extension 40 are bent upwardly to form pouring guides or wings 4i and its whole front edge is preferably formed into a curl 42, although it may be hemmed or left as a raw edge, if so desired.

The extension 40 is formed from the material which, in the spout construction of Figs. 1 to 4, constitutes the central portion of the vertical front wall 33. In this form of the invention, this material forms a continuation of the pouring wall 3|. The material adjacent the ends of this extension 50 is, however, separated from it by radial cuts or slits and is bent downwardly to form two short, spaced front wall sections 44 which correspond in function to the front wall 33 of Figs. 1 to 4. Each front wall 44 is provided with a curl 45 and is disposed in opposed and cooperating relationship to a side wall 32. Thus the side walls 32, the front wall sections 44 and the curls 45 co-operate to grip the end seam l4 and maintain the spout in place on the container in the same manner as do the corresponding parts of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to l.

Figure 8 shows this spout in the process of being applied to the container. Here the pair of front walls 44 have flexed outwardly, allowing the curls 45 to pass around the end seam Hi. When completely seated, the curls 45 snap under the end seam [4 (Fig. 7) and thus secure the spout to the container.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A detachable pouring spout for a container having an end closure formed with a pouring opening therein and including a peripheral portion and a countersink wall secured to the body of said container in a radially outwardly projecting upstanding end seam, said spout comprising a pouring wall extending from said open ing and over said seam, a pair of side walls extending downwardly from said pouring wall intermediate said opening and seam and engaging said countersink wall behind said end seam, a resilient front wall also extending downwardly from said pouring wall adjacent the periphery of said seam, and a projection extending inward- 1 7 ly from said front wall to snap beneath the said projecting end seam of the container, said side Walls and said front wall and said projection co operating to maintain the spout in place on. the

container.

2. A detachable pouring spout for a container having an end closure formed with a pouring opening therein and including a peripheral por-- tion and a countersink wall secured to the body of said container in a radially outwardly projecting upstanding end seam, said spout comprising a pouring wall extending from said opening and over said seam, a pair of side walls depending from said pouring wall intermediate said opening and seam and disposed angularly to and adapted to engage the countersink wall of the end member behind said end seam, a resilient front wall depending from said pouring wall, and a curl extending inwardly from the bottom of said front wall and adapted to snap beneath the projecting end seam of the container, said side walls and said front Wall co-operating to grip the end seam in a snap-fit engagement to removably secure the spout to the container.

3. A container and pouring spout assembly, comprising a container body, a friction ring having a pouring opening therein and including a countersink wall and a peripheral portion secured to said body in a radially outwardly projecting upstanding end seam, and a detachable pouring spout, said spout having a pouring wall extending from the opening outwardly to the periphery of said friction ring, a pair of side walls depending from said pouring wall intermediate said opening and countersink wall and engaging said countersink wall of the friction ring, a resilient front wall depending from said pouring wall and overhanging the periphery of said end seam, and a projection extending inwardly from said front wall and adapted to engage beneath said projecting end seam, said side walls and said front wall and said projection co-operating to maintain said spout in position on the container.

4. A container and pouring spout assembly, comprising a container body, a friction ring having a pouring opening therein and including a countersink wall and a peripheral portion secured to said body in a radially outwardly projecting upstanding end seam, an annular groove formed in said friction ring between said pour ing opening and end seam, and a spout secured to said container end seam, said spout comprising a pouring wall extending from said opening across said groove and side Walls each depending laterally from said pouring wall and having an outline substantially the same as the contour of said groove, said side walls extending into said groove and contacting the walls which define said groove to form barriers to seal off that portion of said groove which is disposed beneath said pouring wall of the spout.

5. A detachable pouring spout for a container having a friction ring with a central opening and a peripheral portion including a countersink wall secured to the body of said container in a radially outwardly projecting upstanding end seam, said spout comprising a pouring wall having an outer portion which projects outwardly beyond said end seam of the container, a pair of side Walls depending laterally from said pouring wall and disposed angularly to and engaging said countersink wall of the ring, a pair of resilient front wall sections extending downwardly from said pouring wall in engagement with the periphery of said end seam and opposed to said side walls to grip said seam therebetween, and inward projections disposed at the bottom of said front wallsections to snap beneath the end seam and to cooperate with said side walls to maintain said spout in position on the container.

6. A pouring spout for a container having an end closure formed with a pouring opening therein and having a peripheral portion including a countersink wall secured to the container body in a radially outwardly projecting upstanding end seam, said spout comprising a pouring wall, a pair of side walls depending laterally from said pouring wall and disposed angularly to and engaging said countersink wall behind the end seam of the container, and a resilient front wall formed integral with and depending from said pouring wall and engaging the outer surface of said end seam, and cooperating with said side walls to grip said end seam and thereby hold the spout in pouring position on the container, said pouring wall and front wall merging along a relatively sharply bent pouring edge projecting outwardly beyond said end seam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,268,241 Brueckel Dec. 30, 1941 2,315,250 Eilers Mar. 30, 1943 2,375,248 Reese May 8, 1945 2,519,525 White Aug. 22, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,698 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1889 

